The Cambridge Companion to Tacitus

by A. J. Woodman (Editor)

Overview

Tacitus is universally recognised as ancient Rome's greatest writer of history, and his account of the Roman Empire in the first century AD has been fundamental in shaping the modern perception of Rome and its emperors. This Companion provides a new, up-to-date and authoritative assessment of his work and influence which will be invaluable for students and non-specialists as well as of interest to established scholars in the field. First situating Tacitus within the tradition of Roman historical writing and his own contemporary society, it goes on to analyse each of his individual works and then discuss key topics such as his distinctive authorial voice and his views of history and freedom. It ends by tracing Tacitus' reception, beginning with the transition from manuscript to printed editions, describing his influence on political thought in early modern Europe, and concluding with his significance in the twentieth century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781139801607
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	01/21/2010
Series:	Cambridge Companions to Literature
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

A. J. Woodman is Gildersleeve Professor of Classics at the University of Virginia. He has written widely on Roman history, especially Tacitus, and co-edited, with R. H. Martin, Annals III and IV (1996 and 1989 respectively). He is currently preparing an edition of Agricola with Christine S. Kraus.

Table of Contents

Introduction A. J. Woodman; Contexts: 1. From the Annalists to the Annales: Latin historiography before Tacitus A. M. Gowing; 2. Tacitus and the contemporary scene A. J. Woodman; Texts: 3. The Agricola A. R. Birley; 4. The Germania as literary text Richard F. Thomas; 5. The faces of eloquence: the Dialogus de Oratoribus Sander M. Goldberg; 6. Fission and fusion: shifting Roman identities in the Histories Rhiannon Ash; 7. The Tiberian Hexad Christina Shuttleworth Kraus; 8. Hamlet without the Prince? The Claudian Annals S. J. V. Malloch; 9. 'Is dying so very terrible?': the Neronian Annals E. E. Keitel; Topics: 10. Tacitus' personal voice Christopher Pelling; 11. Tacitus as a historian Miriam T. Griffin; 12. Res Olim Dissociabiles: emperors, senators, and liberty S. P. Oakley; 13. Style and language S. P. Oakley; 14. Speeches in the Histories D. S. Levene; 15. Warfare in the Annals D. S. Levene; Transmission: 16. From manuscript to print R. H. Martin; 17. Tacitus and political thought in early modern Europe, c.1530–c.1640 Alexandra Gajda; 18. Gibbon and Tacitus Paul Cartledge; 19. A dangerous book: the reception of the Germania C. B. Krebs; 20. Tacitus and the twentieth-century novel Martha Malamud; 21. Tacitus' Syme Mark Toher; Chronological table.

Editorial Reviews

"...the volume is both one among Tony Woodman's great services to Tacitean studies and a tribute to them." —BMCR

From the Publisher